For 25 years, fly patterns have materialized in the grip of my vise, and every once in awhile, if you tie enough and experiment enough, you concoct a witch’s brew that works wonders. A streamer that I call the U Name It is such a pattern. Basically, it is an olive-and-white marabou streamer that you can cast to any fish that swims. I use it on my Spey rod for steelhead and stripers. My pattern is easy to construct, with a minimum of materials, and it’s easy to cast. Barbell eyes are secured near the eye of the upturned stinger hook, and the stinger hook is attached to the Waddington shank by a short length of looped wire (see picture). With the hook point up, the fly can glide over rocks.
Only four materials are lashed to the Waddington shank. The first is Flashabou (I like gold and UV) that is wrapped on the Waddington shank and that is also attached behind the barbell eyes to the bottom of the same shank, extending beyond the hook by about half an inch, and on top, extending to just short of the inside of the hook bend. Next, wrap three turns of barred olive marabou just behind the eyes. It should flow back just a little beyond the stinger hook. Then tie on white marabou in front and beneath the barbell eyes. Pull the marabou down over the underside of the eyes and secure it just behind the eyes so that it flows back as a belly, extending just short of the stinger hook. Finally, take a length of olive barred squirrel and tie it on top of the hook behind the hook’s upturned eye, then wrap thread back to the barbell eyes, so that the squirrel flows over the top and back just short of the hook’s bend. Whip finish, color the top of the thread wraps with an olive marker, and varnish the thread with head cement. That’s it. Tie one up in any color combination you want and hold on.
— Andy Guibord
